Bail maintained for a Hilo man charged with stealing a truck and possession of meth

A Hilo District Court judge maintained bail on a man reportedly found with 19 grams of methamphetamine in a stolen truck.

Duke Kaleolani Malakaua, 50, of Hilo, was arrested on Sept. 2 after a Hawai‘i Island police officer saw him exit a Chevrolet pickup truck — reported stolen from a business in Kona sometime between Aug. 9-10 — near the Hilo Armory Gym.

Malakaua, who is in custody, appeared by video on Tuesday before District Court Judge Jeffrey Hawk. A request for supervised release by defense counsel was denied. Bail was maintained at $120,000. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Thursday afternoon.

Malakaua was charged with six offenses including:

• First-degree attempted promotion of a dangerous drug
• First-degree theft
• First-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle
• Second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug
• Third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug
• Prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia

According to the probable cause statement filed in district court on Tuesday, Officer Krimsen Basilla was doing checks in his assigned area when he saw the truck, identified as stolen.

As the driver, later identified as Malakaua, appeared to be backing out of a parking stall, Basilla turned on his lights to initiate a traffic stop. However, the 50-year-old stopped, got out of the truck and started walking west on Wailuku Road.

Basilla pursued Malakaua and he was taken into custody without incident. Police reports indicate that VICE officers later obtained a search warrant to search the Chevrolet pickup and recovered over 19 grams of methamphetamine broken down into distributable amounts.

The most serious charge, first-degree attempted promotion of a dangerous drug is a class A felony offense punishable by a maximum penalty of a 20-year prison term. First-degree theft and second-degree promotion of a dangerous and drug are both class B felony offenses punishable by a maximum penalty of a 10-year prison term.